Candy Cane Wonderland
by queenofklaroline
Summary: Caroline always reminded him of Christmas but it was that one year that he couldn't forget. AU/AH


**Merry (Klaroline) Christmas and Happy (Jodice) New Year! :***

Klaus always knew it was Christmas, it was the candy canes that would let him know. Caroline, his little sister's best friend (more like only friend), would always carry or have one in her mouth once December 1st hit. It was something he couldn't help but look forward to when she'd walk in and offer him one before running up the stairs to Rebekah's room. Klaus found it slightly sweet when he was 15 and she 12. She was still a baby in his eyes, just like his sister would always be but her caring nature grew on him early on. Whether it was her asking how he was feeling when he coughed one too many times or the way she distracted Rebekah when her pestering became too much and he was ready to snap. This little girl with her wide blue eyes and bouncy blonde curls seemed to be there for her in a way he hadn't noticed.

At 15 Klaus focused more on tv shows and the newest video game. He didn't have the time to make bracelets with Bekah or to help her and Caroline with their homework. He was a big boy and big boys weren't spending their time with younger girls. That is why when Rebekah presents him with a badly wrapped box as an early holiday gift (she wasn't too good with waiting until the actual holiday) he panics. Sure Klaus remembered that the holidays were approached but gifts were never his thing so he didn't think that his sister would decide to get something for him. Especially since last month after yet another one of their fights she declared that he was banned from getting anything for Christmas because he ate the last piece of cake.

Now Klaus had two choices;

A) Try to think of some explanation as to why he didn't have it. (Maybe it was on its way? Or he still hadn't wrapped it?)

B) Be an asshole about it. (He had been one recently anyway. It wasn't on purpose, it just came out that way and the second it did he felt so guilty but kept at it anyway)

C) The door wasn't that far away. He could make it. Maybe run to a store and buy her some doll while he avoided her?

Klaus' inner turmoil ceased when his sister's best friend interrupted the silence. ''Rebekah look! Here is Klaus' gift to you! I saw him wrapping it a few days ago.''

Caroline was in fact holding a perfectly wrapped box with a big bow that guess what, Klaus saw **her** bring in today. He knew he should say something, anything really but the guilt of upsetting his sister held him back. He knew if he didn't give her something then she would cry and Rebekah didn't deserve that just because she was stuck with a lousy brother.

So he kept his mouth shut as Rebekah opened the gift and revealed some pair of earmuffs that apparently she wanted all along and how did he know that?

After she gave him an extra long hug she ran upstairs to try on the dress that would look ''perfect'' with her new gift, Klaus turned around ready to thank Caroline while asking her why she would do this.

But before he could she once again interrupted. ''Your welcome.''

It was years later that Klaus was old enough to understand just how amazing candy cane kisses could be.

He was 21 when he came home for the holidays. He hadn't visited in a while even though he stayed in touch with his sister. Every year since he left she would ask him when he planned on coming home. He could have just done the simple thing and traveled the two hours back but knowing that with his return came judgement and pure hatred from his ''family''. In his eyes his sister was and is all the family he would need which is why he would even think of coming back.

With each mile he got closer and closer to the weekend that would without a doubt tear him apart.

When he finally got home it was the sight of his sister, 18 and smiling that reminded him again why he was here. She squealed loudly and jumped him with a tight hug that had them both laughing. Once she detached herself she only moved far enough to get something from under the big tree standing proudly in the corner of the living room. Her gift wrapping skills hadn't gotten any better, neither had her patience. Her gifts though had improved so at least this time Klaus didn't fake happiness when he unwrapped the gift to find scattered art supplies of all different types collected with a card attached and a candy cane. Klaus popped it in his mouth as he took out Rebekah's gift from his bag. If the distance from home taught him anything - it was that every moment with a loved one mattered. So with every holiday Klaus made sure his gift for Rebekah was perfect as if it could take away the lack of perfection from his teenage years. His gifts hadn't improved for a while until he realized how his bullshit was not getting him anywhere. It drove everyone away except the people that truly mattered but he wouldn't let it get to them leaving as well.

Klaus watched on as Rebekah was brought to tears at the necklace he gave her. He worked hard on making sure her gift was special. He went to three jewelry stores before he spotted it and knew it was the one.

All through dinner Klaus endured ridicule and insults from Mikael but as soon as they finished eating he had thrown one more glare at Klaus, he got up and left. That left Klaus, Rebekah and Kol to clear the dishes. They did it with a familiar banter in between them, all three laughing when Kol almost slipped on the towel he dropped without looking.

During that moment was when the bell rang and Rebekah ran over to let someone clear familiar to her in.

Klaus' mind went blank. There in front of him stood little Caroline but she was far from little anymore. He should have expected her to transform into this angelic creature (although honestly she had always been stunning he had just been too stubborn to admit it). It hadn't been a surprise to him that Caroline would be there. They had talked a little over text messages.

It had started pretty harmlessly. She had lost her Calculus textbook and Bekah had suggested for her to use Klaus'. He had stored them all somewhere in the house but Rebekah wasn't any closer to remembering it as she was planning her next ''accidental'' bump in to Matt. So Caroline got Klaus' number from his sister and texted him a quick message. She didn't think he would answer so fast and he didn't think their conversation would go on for longer than that. But by the end of the month they texted daily and Klaus would call her every once in a while (usually when she was beyond annoyed with Physics and he had some time to hekp her through it).

Now here they were a few months later and Klaus wondered how they went this long without seeing each other. Their conversations had slipped into a few flirty ones randomly but they hadn't acted upon it. Yet now staring at her, Klaus began to question what stopped him from trying. Had he really been that stupid to ignore what was right in front of him?

His question was answered later that night when after a few cups of hot chocolate, Klaus had Caroline pressed up against the wall. They were both fumbling with the others clothes while also trying to be quiet so that Rebekah wouldn't stumble out of her room to the view of her brother and best friend attacking each other with kisses.

Klaus continued kissing down Caroline's neck until she tugged on his curls, bringing his lips back to hers. She tasted like hot chocolate and candy canes. If Klaus hadn't celebrated Christmas before, he would certainly celebrate it now if it always ended like this.

Merry Christmas indeed.


End file.
